EAGER: Rubin Observatory Documentary Project

This is a project to explore the best way to document the development of the Vera C. Rubin Observatory, a story of diverse people drawn together for an adventure of exploration and discovery. Rubin Observatory makes possible a critical mass of character-driven science documentary programming that will allow audiences to see themselves reflected in diverse members of the Rubin team.

A continuing web series will provide Rubin scientists and engineers with media training to tell their stories, thus broadening participation, increasing STEM enrollment, boosting scientific literacy, and increasing trust in scientists. The full series will be developed through the early concepts created by this award. It will create a model for employing women-led, diverse, local crews; for documenting “big science” through construction and integration, and for addressing the humanities in science documentary projects.

It will provide scientists with media training, and filmmakers with science training. There will be an associated web series that will reach people all over the world, enabling everyone to avoid isolation and explore the universe, providing perspective for all human activity, and wordlessly confirming that ‘we are all in this together.’

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.